³ Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, a sower went out to sow.

⁴ “And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside. And the birds came and devoured them.

⁵ “And some fell upon stony ground, where they did not have much earth. And soon they sprang up, because they had no depth of earth.

⁶ “But when the Sun came up, they were burnt up; and for lack of rooting, withered away.

⁷ “And some fell among thorns. And the thorns sprang up and choked them.

⁸ But some fell in good ground, and brought forth fruit; one corn a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and another thirtyfold.

⁹ “The one who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

¹⁸ “Therefore, hear the parable of the Sower.

¹⁹ “Whenever anyone hears the Word of the Kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away that which was sown in his heart. And this is the one who has received the seed by the wayside.

²⁰ “And the one who received seed in the stony ground, is he who hears the Word, and immediately, with joy, receives it,

²¹ “but he has no root in himself and endures but a season. For as soon as trouble or persecution comes because of the Word, he quickly stumbles.

²² “And the one who receives the seed among thorns, is he who hears the Word, but the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the Word. And it is made unfruitful.

²³ “But the one who receives the seed in the good ground, is he who hears the Word and understands it, who also bears fruit and brings forth; some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold.”